Apples and oranges

That statement has been promoted by one of the political parties and is not accurate, it is not based on science. Some of the reasons those facts are not accurate are the following:

• The flu virus has been around for a few years and it is somehow understood by the medical community. COVID-19 is a brand new virus.

• The flu virus changes every year and the medical community has developed vaccines for the flu that can prevent certain individuals from contracting the flu. They are learning to treat the COVID-19 virus in real time, there is maybe five months of experience with treatments for COVID-19.

• From the internet you can learn that viruses that cause the flu are called Influenza A and Influenza B. The Influenza virus was discovered in the year 1933, 80 years ago. The first bivalent vaccine (to protect against A and B) was introduced in 1942.

• Comparing COVID-19 and the flu is like comparing apples to oranges. Mr Kahl is comparing infection rates, morbidity, etc., while the COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing. If you want to compare the two, wait until the end of this pandemic, get all the data for Covid and then yes compare for mortality, infection rates, etc. Doing those comparisons now is wrong, not scientific and misleading.

If I do not know about something, I try to educate myself first before I start writing letters stating misleading facts. Educate yourself first, you will sound more credible.

Bill Surraco

Redwood City